INTRO
In episode 82 our host Stephen Lyman sits down at Khaluna Restaurant in Minneapolis with Grant Lavrenz who is doing amazing things with koji spirits in his cocktail program.
CREDITS
Theme Song: Begin Anywhere by Tomoko Miyata (http://tomokomiyata.net/)
Mixing and Editing: Rich Pav (https://uncannyjapan.com/)
HOSTS
CHRISTOPHER PELLEGRINI Vermont born and bred, long-time Tokyo resident and author of The Shochu Handbook, Christopher learned about delicious fermentations as a beer brewer at Otter Creek (Middlebury, VT). He now spends most of his waking hours convincing strangers that shochu and awamori are unlike anything they’ve ever tried before.
STEPHEN LYMAN discovered Japan’s indigenous spirits at an izakaya in New York City. He was so enthralled that he now lives in Japan and works in a tiny craft shochu distillery every autumn. His first book, The Complete Guide to Japanese Drinks, was nominated for a 2020 James Beard Award.
Stephen and Christopher have deep respect for bartenders who find new ways to surprise their guests with world class cocktails.
If you have any comments or questions about this episode, please reach out to Stephen or Christopher via Twitter. We would love to hear from you.
SHOW NOTES
Special Guest Grant Lavrenz
After growing up in Iowa, Grant Lavrenz found himself in Minneapolis. His passion for bartending started with home cocktail making and and lead to him being one of the top bartenders in the Twin Cities region. His creativity and mentorship have made him one of the leaders in the koji cocktail movement nationwide whether he knows it or not.
Khaluna
Khaluna is a beautiful Laotian restaurant in central Minneapolis helmed by James Beard-nominated chef Ann Ahmed. These facts alone give Grant a leg up in his freedom to be creative. Very few guests have ever had Laotian food so they are already primed for a new experience. Between the open space, beautiful interior design, and top notch waitstaff, Khaluna has become a prime dining spot in the Twin Cities.
Grant’s bar menu consists of both a list of classic or original cocktails and a highball menu. While he’s creative with both, substituting sweet potato shochu for gin or kokuto sugar shochu for rum, the highball menu is where the gloves really come off. In an effort to reduce kitchen waste, he has created syrups and cordials from unexpected waste products such as jicama. He integrates these into shochu highballs to bring refreshing, low alcohol options to a clientele that has often driven to the restaurant.
Koji Cocktails
While you’ll need to listen to the episode to discover Grant’s philosophy about integrating koji spirits into cocktails, he demonstrated that he’s all in on this nascent category when he devoted an entire weekend bar takeover to cocktails he created with the Honkaku Spirits portfolio.
Speaking of Honkaku Spirits, they are offering, for a limited time, to Japan Distilled listeners a 10% discount and free shipping on a two bottle order from anything available on their online shop.
Stephen can attest, the Jokichi Old Fashioned was the best old fashioned he’s ever had.
Much More to Explore
You can find Grant on Instagram @GrantLavrenz on Instagram. And of course, please stop in and say hello to him at Khaluna Restaurant. He’s not sure yet what the future holds, but right now Khaluna is his home and he loves the people and the community they’ve created. Highly recommend you stop in for a visit when and if you find yourself in the Twin Cities.
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